Turbine toy.



c. c. MULDN ER, 1R. TURBINE TOY.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 28- 1917.

1,56,,1 6. Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

CARL c. MULDNER, an, or MAPLEWOOD, MISSCUBI.

TURBINE TOY.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 19, 1918.

Application filed May 28, 1917. Serial No. 171,415.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, CARL C. MULDNER, J r., acitizen of the United States, residing at Maplewood, in the county ofSt. Louis and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Turbine Toys, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to turbine toys, the same being animprovement of application bearing Serial No. 92,799, filed April 21,1916, and has for its object to provide a turbine toy adapted to bedriven by hot or cold air currents, such as a draft, and which consistsof a minimum number of parts, is neat in appearance, attractive when inoperation, and capable of driving other imaller toys through the mediumof a thread elt.

A further object of my invention is to provide a comparatively cheap toyto take the place of the toy steam engine, toy electric motor, andsimilar power producing toys, thereby eliminating the damage of tire,accidents to children, explosions especially in connection with thesteam engine toy, and to provide an interesting toy for children thatwill exclude the expense and use of fuel which is necessary for theoperation of toy steam engines and electric motor toys, and stillaccomplish the same purpose as the more expensive power furnishing toys.

lVith the aboveand other objects in view, my present invention consistsin certain new and novel arrangements and combination of parts, as willbe more fully described hereinafter and finally pointed out in theclaims hereto appended.

Referring to the accompanying drawings forming a part of thisspecification wherein like characters of reference denote similar partsthroughout the several views- Figure l, is a end elevation of myimproved toy turbine constructed in accordance with my invention, andshown as positioned in an open window.

Fig. 2, is a front elevation thereof.

Fig. 8, is a vertical sectional view of my improved toy turbine.

Fig. 4, is a plan view of the band which is adapted to form the circularhousing. This view shows the various ears, slotted openings, andsupporting legs of the toy before the band is formed into its finalcircular shape.

Fig-6, is a top plan view of' the band after being rolled into circularform and secured in this position with the cross brace members fixedthereto.

In carrying out the aim of my present invention, I use a single piece offlat stock preferably in the form of a metallic band 1, of any suitablewidth and length, as clearly shown in Fig. 4:. This band may be of anyother material than of metal, if found desirable.

The band 1 is provided at one end with the longitudinally extending,fastening de vices, such as ears 2, and at its opposite end with theopenings 3, for the passage of the ears of fastening devices 2.

The band 1 is further provided with the integral supporting legs l and5, having the enlarged foot portions 6 and 7, respectively. Each ofthese T-shaped supporting legs 4: and 5 is stamped from the body of theband 1, near the center portion thereof, when in flat formation, asclearly shown in Fig. 4.

The band 1 is finally rolled to form a circular housing and which willbe known hereinafter as a fan housing, having an open front and back topermit the passage of air currents or drafts therethrough. The band 1 isfastened at its meeting edges, when formed into a circular housing, bymeans of the fastening devices or ears 2, passing through the openings3, and clenched over the outer peripheral surface of the housing,clearly shown in Fig. 6. The fastening means is preferably positioned atthe top of the housing, although it could be positioned at the bottomthereof, if found desirable, which would, of course, necessitatestamping the supporting legs 4 and 5, from the band 1, near each endthereof, instead of near the center thereof, as is manifest.

The supporting legs 4: and 5, it will be observed, are bent downwardlyfrom the body of the circular housing preferably assuming a verticalposition. These laterally disposed legs 4.- and 5 have their footportions 6 and 7 thereof, bent to an angle with relation to theirrespective legs and are preferably adapted to extend outwardly from thelegs 4 and 5 forming a substantial base for the fan housing, as clearlyshown in Fig. 2. The lowermost portion of the housing is also adapted tolie in a plane with toy in an upright position.

To stiffen and brace the fan housing formed by the band 1 and to furtherprovide a suitable support and bearings for a drive shaft, 1 provide thefan housing with a pair of cross-brace members 8. These crossbracemembers 8 are each provided, at their ends, with the longitudinallyextending, fastening devices or cars 9. These ears 9 are adapted to passthrough the openings 10, in the band 1, as shown in Figs. 2 and 6, andadapted to be clenched to engage the peripheral surface of the fanhousing. The cross-braces 8 are adapted to be vertically disposed withinthe fan housing, as clearly shown in Fig. 2, thereby providing suitablestiffening means for the housing as well as acting as a drive shaftsupporting means.

A drive shaft 11 is journaled in the crossbraces 8 and rotatablysupported thereby. A drop or two of solder 12, or its equivalent, isapplied to the rear end of the shaft 11 to prevent slidingmovementthereof in one direction only. The opposite end of the shaft 11is provided with a suitable pulley 13, preferably a cone-shaped pulley,having a plurality of belt engaging grooves, such as 14, 15 and 1 6, ofdifferent diameters, for the purpose of changing the speed of the drivenobject. A suitable endless belt 17, preferably made from a heavy thread,is adapted to ride in the various grooves of the pulley 18, as ismanifest. The endless belt 17 is adapted to ride, at its opposite end,over a suitable driven pulley 18, fixed to a shaft 19, carrying asuitable fan wheel 20, or other movable object of an auxiliary toy. Thisparticular wind-mill toy, as illustrated, is only shown and described toserve as an illustration that the toy turbine is capable of driving oroperating similar auxiliary toys.

It will be observed that the band 1 forming the fan housing, is providedwith a pair of integral supporting cars 21 for the purpose of suspendingthe toy in front of an opening, through which a draft is adapted topass, instead of resting the toy upon its supporting legs 4 and 5 andthe bottom of the housing intermediate the supporting le s.

Figs. 1 and 2, of the drawings, illustrate the toy as standing on awindow-sill 22, with the Window-sash 23 open, and engaging the uppermostperipheral surface of the fan housing for holding the housing fromdisplacement upon the window-sill. The auxiliary toy may be positionedupon any suitable supporting device, such as a table, a floor, or thelike.

It will be observed that owing to the fact that my turbine toy furnishespower from a drive propelled fan-wheel that it may be operated withoutexpense, and that it will operate whenever placed over or in the path ofa drive or air currents whether hot or cold. For instance, it may beoperated in front of an open window or door, or in the open where thereis a breeze, or it may be operated in front of a hot air register orupon a hot air register, or in front of a chimney flue, and, in fact,most any draft will propel the fan-wheel for producing power for drivingother objects.

It will be readily understood that by using a suitable line shaft, twoor more auxiliary toys may be operated through the medium of my turbinetoy.

I am aware that various slight and minor details of construction may beresorted to without departing from the true spirit of my invention,hence reserve the right to make any such changes as may fall within thescope of the appended claims when fairly construed.

What I claim is:

1. A turbine toy comprising a fiat metallic hand rolled to form acircular housing having an open front and back, a clenchable fasteningmeans for uniting the meeting ends of said circular housing, a pair ofvertically disposed, opposed cross-braces spanning said housing,clenchablc fastening means for uniting the ends of said crossbraces tosaid housing, a pair of laterally disposed supporting legs integral withthe wall of said housing, a power shaft rotatably supported by means ofsaid cross-braces, a drive pulley fixed to said shaft, a draft propelledpower producing fan-wheel fixed to said shaft within said housing, and abelt driven by said pulley for operating auxiliary toys.

- 2. A turbine toy comprising a flat metallic band rolled to form acircular housing having an open front and back, clenchable fasteningmeans for uniting the meeting ends of said circular housing, a pair ofvertically disposed, opposed cross-braces spanning said housing,clenchable fastening means for uniting the ends of said crossbraces tosaid housing, apair of laterally disposed supporting legsjintegral withthe wall of said housing, a power shaft rotatably supported by means ofsaid cross-braces, a drive pulley fixed to said shaft,'a draft propelledpower producing fan-wheel fixed to said shaft within said housing, abeltdriven by said pulley for operating auxiliary toys, and a pair ofsupporting ears formed integral with said housing for hanging saidhousing in a suspended position in the path of a draft adapted to propelsaid fan-wheel.

3. A turbine toy comprising a fiat metallic band rolled to form acircular housing, a pair of supporting legs stamped from the wall ofsaid housing adapted to prevent rolling movement of said housing andsupport the same in an upright position, stiffening means for saidhousing, a power shaft rotatably supported within said housing, a conepulley fixed to said shaft, a draft propelled power producing fan-wheelfixed to said shaft within said housing, and a pair of supporting earsstamped from the wall of said housing.

4. A turbine toy comprising a circular housing formed from a fiat bandhaving an open front and back, clenchable fastening means for unitingthe free ends of said band to form said circular housing, lateralsupporting legs formed integral with said circular housing and dependingtherefrom and the lower extremities thereof adapted to lie in a planewith the lowermost peripheral point of said circular housing, a pair ofvertically and oppositely disposed cross-braces spanning said circularhousing within the front and rear edges thereof, clenchable fasteningmeans for uniting the opposite ends of said cross-braces with thecircular housing, a power shaft rotatably supported by said cross-braceswithin said circular housing, a draft propelled power producing fanfixed to said shaft adapted to drive said shaft when propelled by aircurrents, a cone pulley fixed to said shaft, and a drive belt for saidpulley.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto signed my name to thespecification.

CARL C. MULDNER, JR.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

